Asian Games 2026, Aichi-Nagoya: Host, Venues, Results and Key Facts
The 2026 Asian Games were held in Japan, in Aichi Prefecture and its capital Nagoya, from 19 September to 4 October 2026. China topped the medal table with 169 golds, hosts Japan were second and India finished fourth with 85 medals, including 21 golds. It was the 20th Asian Games and the first in Japan for 32 years.
Asian Games 2026 at a glance
| Detail | Asian Games 2026 |
|---|---|
| Official name | 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |
| Host country | Japan |
| Host region | Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya |
| Dates | 19 September to 4 October 2026 |
| Teams | 45 National Olympic Committees plus the OCA Refugee Team |
| Athletes | About 10,800 |
| Sports and events | 43 sports, 469 medal events |
| Opening and closing ceremonies | Paloma Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya |
| Mascot | Honohon |
| Organiser | Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee (AINAGOC), under the Olympic Council of Asia |
| Next Asian Games | Doha, Qatar, 2030 |
Where were the 2026 Asian Games held?
Japan hosted, with Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya as joint hosts. It was Japan’s third Asian Games, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
Nagoya held the ceremonies and many of the main events, but competition was spread across Aichi and some neighbouring prefectures. The organising committee listed 54 competition venues, in cities including Nagoya, Okazaki, Toyota, Toyohashi, Ichinomiya and Anjo.
Main venues
| Venue | Location | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Paloma Mizuho Stadium | Nagoya | Opening and closing ceremonies, athletics |
| Aichi International Arena | Nagoya | Indoor events, including judo |
| Nagoya City General Gymnasium (Rainbow Pool) | Nagoya | Multi-sport venue |
| Aichi Sky Expo | Tokoname, Aichi | Exhibition halls used for several sports |
Opening, build-up and debuts
Emperor Naruhito declared the Games open at Paloma Mizuho Stadium on 19 September. The build-up had been difficult: the organisers faced criticism over accommodation, with some athletes housed on the cruise ship Costa Serena and in container-style wooden villas instead of a traditional athletes’ village, and record rainfall on 8 September caused flooding concerns days before the start.
Surfing made its Asian Games debut in Aichi. Cricket was on the programme for the fourth time, after 2010, 2014 and 2023, and India won gold in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Final medal table: top five
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 169 | 89 | 83 | 341 |
| 2 | Japan | 83 | 95 | 91 | 269 |
| 3 | South Korea | 39 | 43 | 68 | 150 |
| 4 | India | 21 | 27 | 37 | 85 |
| 5 | Uzbekistan | 21 | 25 | 24 | 70 |
India and Uzbekistan both won 21 golds; India placed fourth on silver medals. The full top ten and an explanation of how the table is ranked are on our Asian Games 2026 medal tally page.
How India did
India’s 85 medals made Aichi-Nagoya the country’s second-best Asian Games, behind Hangzhou 2023, where India won 107 medals and 28 golds. Archery led the way with five golds, including 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod’s win in the women’s individual recurve, India’s first individual recurve gold at the Asian Games. India also won both the men’s and women’s titles in cricket, hockey and kabaddi.
Every Indian gold medallist, and results sport by sport, are on our India at Asian Games 2026 page.
Mascot: Honohon
The official mascot is Honohon, unveiled on 14 July 2024 at the KITTE Nagoya shopping complex after being picked from a shortlist of three. Its name comes from “honoho”, an old way of saying “flame” in Japanese, and its design draws on the shachihoko, the golden fish-like ornaments on the roof of Nagoya Castle. Honohon also features in the Games’ 59 sport pictograms.
Where to watch the Asian Games in India
Sony Pictures Networks India held exclusive media rights in India, announced on 21 April 2026. The Games were shown on the Sony Sports Network TV channels and streamed on Sony LIV. Japan is three and a half hours ahead of India, so morning sessions in Aichi were broadcast early in the morning Indian time.
Official website
The official site of the organising committee is aichi-nagoya2026.org. It holds the official results, venue list and participating teams. The Olympic Council of Asia, which owns the Games, publishes news at oca.asia.
Asian Games hosts in Japan
| Year | Edition | Host city |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 3rd | Tokyo |
| 1994 | 12th | Hiroshima |
| 2026 | 20th | Aichi-Nagoya |
The next Asian Games will be held in Doha, Qatar, in 2030.
Updated 7 October 2026. Sources: Aichi-Nagoya 2026 organising committee, Olympic Council of Asia, Nippon.com, Wikipedia’s 2026 Asian Games page, MediaBrief (broadcast rights) and Khel Now’s final medal tally.